Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Putnam County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Putnam County, Ohio · Ottawa

When a grandparent or other relative is raising a child, Ohio law lets a suitable adult ask for legal custody — and, in qualifying situations, lets grandparents seek companionship time. In Putnam County these cases go to Judge Borer's combined Juvenile/Probate Court. Legal custody gives day-to-day care while parents keep certain rights; it is not adoption.

How does a grandparent or relative get custody of a child in Putnam County, Ohio?

File for legal custody in the Juvenile/Probate Court (Judge Borer, (419) 523-3012) under R.C. 2151.23. When a non-parent seeks custody against a parent, best interest alone is not enough — the non-parent must generally show the parents are unsuitable (abandonment, an agreement to relinquish custody, or that staying with the parent would harm the child). Legal custody is not adoption and can be changed later. For a temporary, cooperative arrangement, Ohio's standalone Grandparent Power of Attorney and Caretaker Authorization Affidavit let a relative handle school and medical decisions without a custody case. Confirm the Juvenile/Probate filing fee at (419) 523-3012 — the $300 Domestic Relations deposit does not apply.

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

Where to File: Putnam County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: putnamcountyohio.gov/courts/common-pleas-court/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Putnam County Juvenile & Probate Court
245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3012
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody is the right path if…

A grandparent or relative is raising or needs to care for the child.
The parents are unavailable, unsafe, or have agreed the child should live with you.
You need legal authority for school, medical, and daily decisions.
You want either full legal custody or a cooperative Power of Attorney / Caretaker arrangement.

Filing Fees

Non-parent custody is filed in the Juvenile/Probate Court, which sets its own filing fee — confirm at (419) 523-3012 · GAL deposit $800 attorney / $400 CASA in contested cases · ask about a fee waiver if you can't afford the deposit

Forms & Filing Packets

Legal custody to a non-parent — Filing fee set by the Juvenile/Probate Court — confirm the current deposit at (419) 523-3012

File a complaint for legal custody in the Juvenile/Probate Court under R.C. 2151.23 with the Parenting Proceeding (UCCJEA) affidavit. When seeking custody against a parent, you must generally show the parents are unsuitable.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.

Cooperative Power of Attorney or Caretaker Affidavit — Confirm the filing fee and notary requirements with the Juvenile/Probate Court at (419) 523-3012

For a temporary, cooperative arrangement, use Ohio's standalone Grandparent Power of Attorney or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit so a relative can handle school and medical decisions without opening a custody case.

Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.

How to File Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Putnam County

Decide custody vs. a cooperative arrangement. For full decision-making authority, plan to file for legal custody. For a temporary, cooperative arrangement, consider the Grandparent Power of Attorney or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit.
File in the Juvenile/Probate Court. File the complaint for legal custody (R.C. 2151.23) with the Parenting Proceeding (UCCJEA) affidavit at the Juvenile/Probate Court, (419) 523-3012.
Prepare to show unsuitability. If you're seeking custody against a parent, gather evidence of unsuitability — abandonment, an agreement to relinquish custody, or harm to the child.
Attend the hearing. The court weighs the evidence and the child's best interest; in a contested case it may appoint a Guardian ad Litem ($800 attorney / $400 CASA) before deciding.

Putnam County Practice Notes

The unsuitability standard. When a non-parent seeks custody against a parent, best interest alone is not enough. The non-parent must generally show the parents are unsuitable — abandonment, an agreement to relinquish custody, or that remaining with the parent would harm the child — before the court awards legal custody to the non-parent (R.C. 2151.23).
Custody is not adoption. Legal custody gives day-to-day care and decision-making while parents keep certain residual rights (including parenting time and the duty to support), and it can be changed later. Adoption permanently ends a legal parent relationship. Grandparent and relative companionship is a separate, narrower request (R.C. 3109.11, 3109.12).

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a grandparent or relative get custody of a child in Putnam County?: A relative or other suitable adult can ask the Juvenile/Probate Court (Judge Borer) for legal custody under R.C. 2151.23. When a non-parent seeks custody against a parent, best interest alone is not enough — the non-parent must generally show the parents are unsuitable (abandonment, an agreement to relinquish custody, or that staying with the parent would harm the child). Legal custody is not adoption; it can be changed later. For a temporary, cooperative arrangement, Ohio's standalone Grandparent Power of Attorney and Caretaker Authorization Affidavit let a relative handle school and medical decisions without a custody case.
Can grandparents get companionship time in Putnam County?: Sometimes. Ohio allows grandparent and relative companionship in qualifying situations — for example, when the parents are unmarried or a parent has died (R.C. 3109.11, 3109.12). It is narrower than a parent's parenting time; the court weighs the child's best interest and a fit parent's wishes. These requests are filed in the Juvenile/Probate Court at (419) 523-3012.
How much does a never-married custody or paternity case cost in Putnam County?: Never-married custody, paternity, and non-parent custody are filed in the Juvenile/Probate Court (Judge Borer), which sets its own filing fee — the $300 Domestic Relations deposit does not apply. Confirm the current amount at (419) 523-3012 before filing, and ask about a fee waiver if you can't afford it. CSEA paternity services, including genetic testing, are free to the applicant (567-376-3780).
When does Putnam County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem — a court-appointed attorney — to investigate and recommend a parenting plan in the child's best interest. The GAL represents what is best for the child, not the child's wishes. In Putnam County the GAL deposit is $800 for an attorney GAL or $400 for a CASA volunteer, and the cost is typically allocated between the parents.
Do I file custody in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Putnam County?: If you are married to (or were married to) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the Domestic Relations Division (Judge Schierloh), filed through the Clerk of Courts at (419) 523-3110. If you were never married, paternity and custody are handled by the combined Juvenile/Probate Court (Judge Borer) at (419) 523-3012. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are filed in the Juvenile/Probate Court. Because the DR Division also advertises child-custody disputes, confirm the division for a never-married case before filing.

Free Local Resources in Putnam County

Putnam County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Provides current filing fees, the county's Domestic Relations forms, and filing instructions for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment. File in person or by mail at 245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875, or by fax/email (20 pages or fewer; $3 per transmission plus $1 per page) to (419) 523-5284 / cpefile@putnamcountyohio.gov. Call (419) 523-3110.
Putnam County Juvenile & Probate Court. Handles custody, parentage, and parenting time for never-married parents, non-parent custody, children-services cases, and adoption. Confirm its local forms and filing fees at (419) 523-3012.
Putnam County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Establishes paternity with free genetic testing, sets and reviews support administratively, and enforces orders by wage withholding. Payments run through Ohio Child Support Payment Central (2% processing fee). Call 567-376-3780.
Putnam County Pro Se Clinic (with Legal Aid of Western Ohio). A free instructional session on divorce, dissolution, and custody — educational, not legal representation. Schedule it at (419) 523-6200.
Putnam County Job & Family Services. Report concerns about a child's safety at 567-376-3777. In an immediate emergency, call 911.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official 2024 Income Shares worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

Related to your non-parent custody case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Adoption — Grow your family through step-parent, agency, or kinship adoption.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on non-parent custody and related Ohio family law topics.

Grandparents' Rights in Ohio: Visitation and Custody — Ohio grandparents can sometimes seek court-ordered companionship time or even custody — but only in specific circumstances and always under the best-interest standard. Here's how it works.
Ohio Child Custody Laws: What Every Parent Should Know — Ohio custody law turns on one principle: the best interest of the child. This guide explains sole custody, shared parenting, the statutory factors, and how courts decide.
Kinship Adoption in Ohio: Adopting a Relative's Child — When a child can't safely stay with their parents, relatives often step in. Kinship adoption gives that arrangement legal permanence. Here's how it works in Ohio — and how it differs from custody.

Keep exploring

Ohio Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody guide — Statewide overview of grandparent / non-parent custody in Ohio.
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